Forgive me for stating the obvious, but fans embrace their given sports in a wide variety of ways.

Some associate themselves so much with their jersey-wearing heroes that they refer to the team’s highs and lows by using the pronoun “We.” Others enjoy nothing less than nitpicking every transaction or coaching decision to the point of exhaustion. There are even a shameful few who will punch a fan of an opposing team to show some of misplaced loyalty.

If there’s one thing that can unite the eclectic group of people that is hockey fans, it’s the glorious shiny splendor that is the Stanley Cup, though. Fans pay tribute to the silver chalice with replicas (and many other number of things) just to mimic the act of raising that great trophy.

Nonetheless I found a place in line and told myself a picture with the Stanley Cup would be plenty. The line grew thinner and thinner as fans departed after their moment of glory. It finally got to be my turn and I stood right next to it, not daring to touch it, but tempted to for the first time in my life. I didn’t have much time with it, but I took a quick scan of as many names as I could. And in that moment, I looked to the camera, and it was as if the cameraman had read my mind.

“Put your arm around it,” he said.

I brought myself back into lucidity and said that I had not done anything to deserve touching it, but was quickly scoffed at and told, “And you will probably never have that opportunity to win it on the ice.”

And that’s when it hit me. I reached over, leaned into it and touched my hand to the front of the cup as he snapped the photo.

Personally, I’m not the superstitious type* so I don’t really have a problem with fans touching the Cup. Honestly, it wouldn’t bother me if Alex Ovechkin (or some other active player who hasn’t won the Cup yet) touched it, either. If you ask me, the only curse that comes with touching the Cup is simply not being good enough to win it.

But what do you think, PHT readers? Is it bad form to touch the Stanley Cup or not? Let us know how you feel in the comments.

* – Well, not when it comes to touching trophies, anyway. (Throws salt over shoulder.)